ADDIS ABABA (HAN) November 28, 2015 – Public Diplomacy and Regional Stability Initiatives News. The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) is set to renovate the existing truck axle load controlling system with a modern Japanese-made technology in which 14 controlling stations will become more automated in a few months’ time.
Shinichi Kitaoka, President of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), visiting the Modjo axle load controlling station has conferred with Araya Girmay, director general of ERA and his team on Thursday. Following the site visit, JICA’s president affirmed that technical support from Tokyo is due to arrive in time for the 14 axle load controlling stations to be automated.
The purpose of axle load control is to protect roads from premature damage caused by overloaded trucks. According to ERA, between 1997 and now, 110,404km of all types of roads have been built across the country; currently, over 20 percent of trucks in Ethiopia are assumed to be overloaded and causing damage to this road network.
To safeguard the roads from damages, ERA has established axle load controlling systems where digital scales weigh and measure the load amount on trucks. According to officials of JICA, the total grant funding for the project totals about USD five million.
Araya said that the civil work has already begun and that ERA is looking to finalize equipment purchase from JICA. The project is expected to be finalized by the end of 2017. In addition to helping the Ethiopian road system, JICA has been extending technical, grant aid and grass roots humanitarian assistance, as well as volunteers dispatch to Ethiopia.
Source: thereporter
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